CoxHealth breaks ground on new Cox Monett Hospital

Posted by Kaitlyn McConnell on May 1, 2019

Mid-morning on May 1, CoxHealth and community leaders made
Monett history by breaking ground on the new Cox Monett Hospital.

The $42 million facility, which is set to take around two
years to complete, replaces the current hospital that was built in 1953 – and
reaffirms CoxHealth’s commitment to providing health care in rural areas.

“In this era when many rural hospitals are closing, we’re
thrilled that we’re moving forward to provide an even greater level of care for
individuals and families in the Monett area,” says Darren Bass, president of
Cox Monett. “This is a fantastic moment, one we believe will make a difference
in this community for years to come.”

Darren Bass, president of Cox Monett, speaks at the hospital's ground breaking.

The new 75,000-square-foot facility will be situated along
Highway 60 on the eastern edge of Monett. When complete, it will continue as a
full-service hospital with an enhanced Emergency Department, multiple operating
rooms, Labor and Delivery, and an attached office building that will house
physician clinics and 40 exam rooms.

During the groundbreaking ceremony, Bass gave remarks.
Additional comments were made by Steve Edwards, president and CEO of CoxHealth;
Jack Prim, Cox Monett Advisory Board member, co-chair of the hospital’s
momentum campaign and community leader; and Lisa Alexander, president of the
CoxHealth Foundation, who is leading fundraising for the project.

“While CoxHealth is funding the vast majority of this
project, a percentage of the total cost is reliant on donor support,” says
Alexander. “We are excited to announce today our Momentum Campaign and $1.5
million dollars already committed to encourage the community to see the great
value placed on the future of health care in this region.”

Cox Monett Hospital began in the 1920s, and prior to
joining CoxHealth in 1993, was known as St. Vincent’s Hospital. It is one of
CoxHealth’s two critical-access hospitals. The other – Cox Barton County
Hospital – is located in Lamar.